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Featured News, Inside Western

In just three years, Western’s Trail Running Team has grown from a small group of students competing in casual weekend events to a competitive collegiate team traveling to some of the largest trail and ultra-races in the country. The team is part of the Mountain Sports program, which offers every discipline of skiing, snowboarding and cycling­—in addition to trail running.

ODK has more than 285 active circles at colleges and universities across the United States. The honor society remains committed to developing campus leaders who will become tomorrow’s community leaders.

What's the best way to see what life is like at Western? Preview Days! You'll have the chance to tour the campus, hear some of our current students’ stories, meet with professors in your area of interest, eat lunch in our dining hall and chat with the admissions and financial aid staff.

GUNNISON, Colo. – On August 18, 2016 the Master in Gallery Management and Exhibits Specialization (MGES) will hold the first class in the newly renovated Quigley Hall. The $25.8 million renovation gives the new students an opportunity to work in a state-of-the-art, professional gallery space. The first professional exhibit to be displayed by the Masters students will feature the sculptures of Western Department of Art alumna Bryson Darnel, and antique Japanese prints in the collection of Western Foundation benefactor, Ethel Rice.

GUNNISON, Colo. – Western’s newest graduate program, Master of Arts in Gallery Management and Exhibits Specialization, is set to partner with the AR Mitchell Museum of Western Art of Trinidad, Colo. Earlier this year AR Mitchell Museum Board President Suz Porterfield reached out to the American Museum of Western Art – Anschutz Collection in Denver, for professional management advice and was recommended to Western’s MGES program.

Press Release

The funds were awarded as a Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) grant by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. POWER grants are dedicated to economic revitalization and workforce training in coal communities.

Masters of Environmental Management (MEM) Program, which began just a couple of short years ago, continues to grow and attract diverse students from across the globe. The incoming class hails from 30 universities and brings a wealth of knowledge from 16 different undergraduate programs. These 39 new students joined the 33 second-year students to form a robust program.

The award not only promotes Western's commitment to creating a greener campus, it also will interest prospective students. The 2015 College Hopes and Worries Survey conducted by The Princeton Review reported that 61 percent of future college students are influenced by a school's commitment to the environment.

"Having that bronze star for Western is way to let prospective students know that we're making positive strides," said Brooke Moran, Professor of Recreation & Outdoor Education.

Western was not Lee Birk's first choice college. He originally went to Fort Lewis College, where he met his wife his freshman year. Shortly after getting married, the two moved to Gunnison where Mrs. Birk grew up. It was a simple transfer, but Birk is thankful for it. As a double major in Political Science and Sociology, Birk earned the educational foundations he needed for his current career in the police force.

Megan Peck was first drawn to Western the same way many students before and after her have been: the beautiful mountains surrounding the Gunnison Valley and the opportunity to hit the slopes right after class. However, Peck also earned the educational foundation she needed to assist in the life-changing work she is currently doing as a Fulbright-Fogarty scholar.

When new students come to Western, many are captivated by the beautiful mountain ranges, taken by the welcoming community and staff, and eager for the endless adventures that await. It has and always will be this way.